An alcoholic who was found lying in a road minutes after being ordered out of a Chase Terrace pub, died in hospital from massive head injuries.

Keir McInnis, aged 53, was found by a passerby lying in the road on April 6, this year.

He was taken to Stafford General Hospital but died in the Accident and Emergency department later that night.

An inquest, held on Tuesday at Cannock Coroner’s Court, head how Mr McInnis had been drinking in The Oak pub on April 6, but was asked to leave after he consumed a large amount of alcohol.

He left the pub, but returned later the same day and was asked to leave again by staff.

He was discovered around 20 minutes later lying in a Burntwood road with a serious head injury.

He was taken to Stafford Hospital but died later that evening.

A post mortem examination, carried out by consultant pathologist Dr Steven Harris, found Mr McInnis had a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

Toxicology testing revealed he was over four times the alcohol driving limit, with close to fatal levels of alcohol in his blood.

DC Michael Stretch told the inquest police had thoroughly investigated the incident and were confident there had been no third-party involvement.

“There was a significant police investigation following the death of Mr McInnis,” DC Stretch said.

“We checked CCTV in The Oak pub which revealed he had been there twice on April 6, both times he was asked to leave by staff, but no force was ever used to remove him.

“Unfortunately there was no other CCTV in the area where he was found, so we are unable to know exactly how he came by his injuries.

“But, following our thorough investigation, we believe Mr McInnis sustained his injuries following a fall.”

The inquest heard how Mr McInnis had been hospitalised in February, just two months before his death, for alcoholism.

He had also been squatting in his former home in Brantwood Avenue, Burntwood, after it had been repossessed.

South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said: “Mr McInnis was only 53 when he died. He had been drinking very heavily and was in excess of four times the legal drink drive limit. Following a police investigation, we can be satisfied there was no third party involvement and it is likely he fell while intoxicated.”